Juncture arrangement between the bow of a hearing protection means and a protective helmet

Abstract

A device for protecting the hearing of a user which includes an ear hood secured to a helmet by a pivotable bow which can be moved forwardly and rearwardly of the helmet and also laterally thereof. The bow is provided with a sliding surface over which a pin slides when the ear hood is moved outwardly. A spring member is connected at one end to the helmet and at the other end to the slidable pin for normally holding the ear hood against the ear. When the ear hood is moved laterally from the ear of the user the pin slides over the sliding surface so that the spring member urges the bow to remain in its outward position.

I claim: 
     
       1. A hearing protection device comprising a protective helmet to be worn by the user of the device, an ear hood, an elongated bow member connecting said ear hood to said protective helmet, a fixing part, a first pivot means provided on said fixing part for pivotally securing said protective helmet for forward and rearward pivotal movement with respect thereto, a second pivot means provided on said fixing part, the upper end of said bow member being mounted on said pivot means to provide lateral movement of said ear hood toward and away from the ear of the user, the upper end of said bow member being provided with an elongated sliding surface extending at a substantial angle to the principal axis of said bow member, a resilient member secured at one end to said fixing part, a pin mounted on the other end of said resilient member for sliding engagement on the sliding surface of said bow member, whereby when said bow member is pivoted laterally away from the ear of the user, the angle of the sliding surface of said bow member alters with respect to said resilient member causing said pin, under force of said resilient member, to slide over said sliding surface, said pivot means being located between the ends of the sliding surface so that said pin moves from one side to the other of said pivot means and said bow member is resiliently urged to its outer lateral position. 
     
     
       2. A device as claimed in claim 1 wherein said resilient member comprises a coil spring. 
     
     
       3. A device as claimed in claim 2 and further comprising a screw pivotally mounted on said fixing part to pivot about an axis parallel to the axis of said second pivot means, the one end of said coil spring being secured to said screw. 
     
     
       4. A device as claimed in claim 1 and further comprising a washer member fixed to said protective helmet and provided with segmental protuberances about its periphery and mounted between said protective helmet and said fixing part, the upper end of said bow member engaging said protuberances when said bow member is moved forwardly or rearwardly with respect to said helmet to move said ear hood slightly laterally from the ear of the user.